A leading study-abroad destination for international students, the USA continues to be the top choice for students from South Asia, Southeast Asia & Africa who are seeking international education opportunities. Over the years, the flow of international students studying at higher education institutions has been soaring high. Several compelling reasons have facilitated this growing preference for studying in the US. This growing international student mobility has in turn contributed enormously to the US economy.
International Student Recruitment is Important to the US Economy
Numerically speaking about the year 2021-22, international students living in the US have collectively contributed $33.8 billion to the economy. In addition to this, they have accommodated 3,35,000+ jobs across the country.
Reflecting on the surge in international student enrolment in the past few years, here’s a detailed market insight on the student recruitment pattern of the US. By exploring the recruitment resources and our industry expertise, KC Overseas Education is presenting market insights from South Asia, Southeast Asia & Africa.
Now let us see the source countries from where these international students come from.
International Students in the US: The Year 2021-2022
The data shows 9,48,519 international students were in the US in the year 2021-22. Before the arrival of the pandemic, the number of international students enrolled in US Universities was more than 1 million.
Country-Wise Number of International Students in the US
The highest contributor of international students in the US in 2021-22 has been China. China has contributed 31% or 2,32,674 students in the US. India has been the next leading source country when it comes to student enrolment in the USA with almost 21% or 1,29,569 students being contributed from India. Collectively, China and India have accounted for 52% of international students in the US.
While Nigeria and Vietnam have accounted to contribute 2% each with 29,284 students. The proportion of students from South Asia, Southeast Asia & Africa has grown dramatically. The statistics presented below indicate this growth in the number of international students from leading countries of South Asia, Southeast Asia & Africa.
As the above-mentioned numbers indicate, with 1,29,569, Indian students have a significant contribution to the US’s international education sector. Furthermore, 9,111 students from Bangladesh, 9,094 students from Nepal, 6,876 students from Pakistan, and 2,280 students from Sri Lanka have largely contributed to the international student population. KC’s student data from these countries signifies a preference for pursuing STEM courses in USA.
Talking about student mobility from Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam has contributed significantly in the year 2021-22 with 17,543 students. Furthermore, Indonesia has notably contributed 6,338 students to the international student population in the US. 4,039 students from Thailand, 3,699 students from Malaysia, and 2,781 students from the Philippines have been major contributors to the Southeast Asian region.
In 2021-22, Nigeria emerged as the top place of origin for international students in the US with 11,741 students. Pursuing Masters in USA was a preferred choice for African students. Ghana and Kenya have significantly influenced and contributed 7,218 students altogether. Together, these African countries are becoming the new source markets for the USA.
Considering this massive flow of the top student populations choosing to study in the USA, we have to comprehend whether this growth of international students from these source countries is sustainable or not and how would this growth look in the near future.
Forecast 2030 for International Students in the US
HolonIQ data predicts, that by the year 2030 the global education market will reach $10T. Furthermore, the developing market will be a major contributor to this expansion. Countries of Asia and Africa will be the driving force behind the expansion.
Mapping and forecasting global student flows to the United States, HolonIQ has forecasted the flow of international students studying at the US higher education institutions will be around 9 million by the year 2030. Additionally, these international students will be contributing more than $500B in annual direct expenditure.
Looking at the growth rate of the market, by the year 2030, China and India will continue to remain the top source countries for the US. However, it is predicted that India would effectively replace China as the top source country. By 2030, the flow of Indian students studying in the US is expected to double from around 2,00,000 students at present to 4,00,000.
Apart from India and China, student flow from countries like Indonesia, Ghana, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, and Nigeria are predicted to grow enormously. Thus, these countries will be among the top 20 source countries in the United States in 2030.
By overseeing student recruitment data and the growing number of international students in the USA, one can summarise the top reasons for this growth. Some of the leading reasons behind the rapidly growing number of students from South Asia, Southeast Asia & Africa are enlisted below.
Top Reasons Behind the Growth of International Students in the USA
1. Fastest Growing Economies
Various countries from South Asia, Southeast Asia & Africa are among the world’s fastest-growing economies. These countries including India, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Kenya are further expected to grow over the years.
2. High Proportion of the Young Adult Population
These major source countries have a high proportion of the young adult population. As young people have been at the forefront of educational activities, the increasing young adult population is looking forward to progressive opportunities for higher education in the US.
3. Rising Middle-Class Sector
The emergence of the middle-class sector is always considered good for the economy. The rapidly rising middle-class sector has increased the spending capacity to study in a country like the US.
4. Investing in Education: A Top Choice for Parents
Parents from these source countries consider spending money on quality education as an investment. This thought process has resulted in the growing number of student population in the US.
5. Availability of Funding Options
Lack of money is no longer a hindrance for study abroad aspirants. Over the years, there have been numerous ways to fund education in the US. Among these options, scholarships are the most sought-after funding option. Additionally, taking student loans and working part-time are also popular options that are encouraging students to study in the US.
In the recent times, getting an education loan to study in countries like USA has become a quick and steady funding option for Indians. Leading banks and financial institutions readily provide up to 100% of loan funding depending on the merits of the application.
Similarly, there are numerous loan funding initiatives that students of such countries can avail of. Some of these are Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) allocating education loans for students across Asia as ADB facilitates to promote quality and accessible education. Likewise, Nigeria’s Federal Government has recently established the Student Loan Act. According to this Act, students from economically weaker backgrounds will be provided with interest-free financial assistance so that they can access higher education.
Summarizing the key student mobility facts and figures mentioned above, the international student population from these source countries is anticipated to continue to grow rapidly in numbers.
Over the years, KC Overseas Education has witnessed this growth of students preferring to study abroad. Being one of the leading overseas education consultancies and having more than two decades of industry experience, we at KC Overseas Education have expanded in these regions and offering our quality services to students aspiring to study in the USA. We are all equipped to share insights into the recruitment challenges in these countries, and the processes which are needed to combat these challenges and increase the university's student outreach in these markets.
With the countries of South Asia, Southeast Asia & Africa becoming upcoming markets, the US will be long benefited by being one of the top destinations for international students.